HSBC Group

Role Purpose

Support the business in a simple, customer-focused way to lead and deliver the strategy and execution of emerging talent hiring and development across UK, Americas & Europe. This role is accountable for ensuring fulfilment of emerging talent hiring across all in-scope populations (graduates, interns, apprentices, etc.), driving best-in-class programme delivery and continuous improvement. The role ensures alignment to global frameworks while enabling market-specific customisation and excellence in candidate and stakeholder experience.

The role holder will collaborate closely with relevant business stakeholders, Enterprise Talent teams, and colleagues to ensure the hiring and development strategy is future-focused, skills-aligned, and delivers measurable impact.

In addition, the role holder will serve as strategic business lead and executive partner to the Head of Emerging Talent, with responsibility for global business management, operational planning, and function-wide governance. This includes supporting the implementation of strategic initiatives, managing headcount and budget planning cycles, and enabling a globally connected operating rhythm.

Principal Accountabilities

Impact on the Business/Function:

• Deliver and evolve the UK, Americas, and Europe emerging talent strategy, aligned to global priorities and local business needs.
• Lead end-to-end hiring and development for intern, graduate, apprentice and early careers programmes, ensuring high-quality, inclusive outcomes and experiences.
• Align delivery to local regulatory, DE&I, and workforce planning needs, while supporting global consistency and integration
• Partner with Employer Brand, Candidate Experience, and Talent teams to activate a market-relevant attraction and engagement strategy.
• Use data and success metrics to monitor performance, inform decisions, and drive continuous improvement.
• Oversee onboarding and rotational experiences, supporting seamless transitions into long-term roles.
• Shape and manage external partnerships to unlock access to diverse and future-focused talent pipelines.
• Champion inclusive, human-centric candidate and employee experiences.
• Support the integration of a skills-first approach across hiring and development activities
• Champion a high-performance, values-led culture across the global Emerging Talent team.
• Lead, coach, and develop a globally dispersed team, embedding clear performance expectations, growth mindsets, and a culture of accountability.
• Identify and nurture talent, supporting capability uplift, collaboration, and consistent delivery standards globally
• Act as the strategic business lead and senior partner to the Global Head of Emerging Talent, providing leadership coverage, insight, and decision-making support across the global function
• Provide strategic counsel and global oversight on delivery quality, team capability, and alignment with enterprise goals
• Lead the business planning cycle across the global team, including headcount planning, budget forecasting, and investment prioritisation

Customers / Stakeholders

• Serve as a strategic advisor to relevant business stakeholders, Enterprise Talent teams, and global colleagues to ensure the hiring and development strategy is future-focused, skills-aligned, and delivers measurable impact.
• Build trusted relationships with relevant HR partners, employer branding, and talent development teams to drive joined-up outcomes.
• Collaborate with global peers to enable knowledge sharing and operational alignment.
• Represent local market voice in global forums, influencing global frameworks and investment cases.
• Partner with Talent Leads to ensure proposition delivers on FSW and business aligned strategy.
   

Critical Skills, Knowledge & Experience / Qualifications

Technical Knowledge

• Strong subject matter expertise in emerging talent strategy, recruitment, and development.
• Deep understanding of local market trends, DE&I dynamics, and candidate expectations.

Service Delivery

• Ability to oversee high-volume, high-touch programme delivery at pace, with a focus on experience, equity, and post-programme outcomes.

People Leadership

• Lead, develop and inspire a high-performing team of emerging talent advisors and delivery professionals, fostering a culture of excellence, ownership, and continuous improvement.
• Coach and build leadership capability within the team, creating stretch opportunities and supporting career progression to build long-term bench strength.
• Drive performance through regular feedback, recognition, and development planning, underpinned by transparent metrics and outcomes-based objectives.

Business Management & Strategic Operations

• Experience in leading business management functions, including planning, budgeting, and operational performance monitoring.
• Strong financial acumen and ability to manage complex budgets, cost models, and investment prioritisation.
• Strong situational judgment and problem-solving skills to support decision-making and act as a trusted deputy.

Data-Led Decision Making

• Comfortable using success metrics, reporting tools, and feedback to assess delivery and improve outcomes.

Strategic Thinking and Continuous Improvement

• Future-focused, insight-driven mindset with the ability to proactively evolve strategies over time
• Proven ability to use data and feedback to drive continuous improvement, decision-making, and impact measurement

Relationship Management

• Strong business partnering skills; trusted advisor to senior leaders.
• Able to navigate matrixed organisations and connect global strategy to local delivery.

Planning, Governance, and Collaboration

• Strong planning, prioritisation, and governance skills.
• Works collaboratively globally, across teams, and functions.

Commercial Awareness:

• Uses good judgment to make decisions that balance cost, value, and impact.
• Understands how the work connects to business goals and makes choices that support long-term success.

Global-Local Operating Models

• Experience navigating and executing in a global-to-local delivery model, with awareness of local nuances, regulatory environments, and localisation strategies.
• Ability to balance consistency with agility, adapting enterprise strategy to local needs without compromising quality or brand.

Skills-Based Talent Strategy (preferable)

• Knowledge of skills-based hiring, assessment, and development frameworks, with the ability to embed these across recruitment and programme delivery.